Also also, don't get that last Calvin and Hobbes strip. I mean, I get that it was great, one of (if not the) greatest American comic strips, but I just don't get what it's referencing. Is it a statement that C&H is a better "Human and Tiger" story than Pi, or perhaps, amid the current season, that C&H represents the Christmas season in a more self-reflecting and heartfelt manner than pretty much any stale, boring and flat ABC Family production combined? Someone explain...

I have a feeling this film will make this years Oscars be like 2008's. Where all the attention will go to Pi and films like Cloud Atlas and Lincoln won't get a second glance cause Pi reminds them of Slumdog and they considered that their pet.

I'm kind of surprised Bob didn't mention Life of Pi is based on a book many thought to be un-filmable. I really liked the book, back in high-school, but my tastes and philosophies have changed since then so I'm unsure whether I want to go see the movie. Also, ninja'd, Bob's discription of the film sounds exactly like the book.

Let's talk about that twistPHA+QXMgYW4gYWdub3N0aWMgd2hvIHVuZGVyc3RhbmRzIHRoZSBtb3JhbCBncmF5bmVzcyBvZiB0aGUgInVwbGlmdGluZyBsaWUgdmVyc3VzIGNydXNoaW5nIHRydXRoLCIgSSdtIG5vdCBvbmUgdG8gYmUgc28gaGFyc2ggb24gdGhlIHR3aXN0LjwvcD4=

That said, when I first saw the trailers (and actually recognizing them as trailers instead of short films), my reaction was "huh, this looks like an interesting, visually stimulating narrative with gorgeous visuals and inspiring scenes... for other people." I'll give the early, minimal cut trailers some credit, as they were some very well done trailers that told you everything about the movie with none of the spastic cutting we see in most trailers, but I was not moved to see Avatar in theaters and I was not moved to see this at all.

you + the creators, and anybody who googled it know that. everybody else knows her as Doug's sister

How did I kind of know that this was going to be a theological piece without even reading the book, or seeing the movie. could it have been the character depicted in the trailers have a primary color choice of white, how he was always in Awww of the beauty of the nature around him, and most of all the scene where his is a starved husk on a beach alah Cast Away.

this being a theological piece is not surprising "the trailers told me so."

I think you were too harsh on Pi's character. Those "quirky" bits were designed to outline Pi's personality and set up scenarios without being boring. I thought they did a fine job with that. Also, I don't think the movie was explicitly telling you to believe in God (despite Pi's claims that it would). I saw it as more of a bittersweet take on religion than anything. That said, I think they could have done a better job with it. The book definitely feels more affecting by virtue of its written nature.

Also also, don't get that last Calvin and Hobbes strip. I mean, I get that it was great, one of (if not the) greatest American comic strips, but I just don't get what it's referencing. Is it a statement that C&H is a better "Human and Tiger" story than Pi, or perhaps, amid the current season, that C&H represents the Christmas season in a more self-reflecting and heartfelt manner than pretty much any stale, boring and flat ABC Family production combined? Someone explain...

my thoughts?

Calvin and Hobbs was meant to be a reference to a 'better Life of Pi', give how many C&H stripes where about something with out, what I'm gathering form the review, being annoying or pretentious about it, as Pi seemed to be

Well, it sounds like it's pretty close to the book, so I wouldn't give the screenwriter too much flak.

Though, I thought at the end of the book the investigators to Pi's story actually believed the humans on the boat story as opposed to the animal story. I don't remember though, I read it in High School.

I'm surprised that nobody mentioned how this movie is the professional acting debut of the actor who played Pi.

As someone who has never acted in a professional setting before this film, I feel he blew it out of the water with his performance (any qualms with the material aside).

And all of that quirkiness was there in the book. I don't understand what the big deal with it is. The writer came to him looking for a story, and he got two to chose from. Establishing the characters and their life before the ship wreck is just as important as the shipwreck itself, in a way.

Let's talk about that twistPHA+QXMgYW4gYWdub3N0aWMgd2hvIHVuZGVyc3RhbmRzIHRoZSBtb3JhbCBncmF5bmVzcyBvZiB0aGUgInVwbGlmdGluZyBsaWUgdmVyc3VzIGNydXNoaW5nIHRydXRoLCIgSSdtIG5vdCBvbmUgdG8gYmUgc28gaGFyc2ggb24gdGhlIHR3aXN0LjwvcD4=

More about the 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

Pretty cynical episode but I'm intrigued by some of the earlier points you made (literal monster island?). Granted while this Pi character sounds annoying at least it's refreshing to have an Indian lead in a film billed as highly as it is.

As for the pre-review films, I would rather see a full Lincoln review now. Still having to wait in the UK since Oscar season films are released DURING the awards for even greater marketing.

As for Silver Linings Playbook, come on Bob, granted it's not all that originals or mind blowing but the characters are interesting and well played and it's not only great to see De Niro actually ACTING for once in the last couple of years but Chris Tucker (yes THAT one) isn't annoying, actually likeable. You may not care for it but a "piece of shit"? Far from it.

Akichi Daikashima:This felt quite Zero Punctuation-y to me, nonetheless, kind of what I expected, save for the apparently awkward Pi.

Also, due to the twist.

Ugh.

In fact, I specifically remember a quote from Yahtzee's review of Halo 3 where he said it had finally managed to lower his standards for a game.

Which is kind of what I see Moviebob doing here. "I'll take an almost good movie over a bad movie any day of the week" While it's his job to go see movies and therefore HAS to go, I'm obviously still putting it below Cloud Atlas and Rise of the guardians on my to-go list.

Still gonna watch it I think if only to indulge my mother's impulse to drag the entire family to something religious. Especially if it'll help avoid going to church on Christmas.

AzraelSteel:I'm impressed a little that EVERYTHING Bob says about this movie is 100% true of the book, as well.

There's a book?

Who wrote it, Nigella Lawson?/pun

I really had no idea that this was based off a book.

There are very few movies made today that aren't based off of a book (or something else), and that's mostly because to the studios a book is proof before they invest any money into a movie that there's an audience to sell it to. Since studios buy rights to books almost in bulk there are many authors out there being payed a yearly sum and it may never be made into a movie.

OT: I've despised this movie for months and it wasn't even out yet. Why? Because every conversation I've had over the phone with my mother has involved "When are you going to see that Pi movie?" "Never, it doesn't look interesting to me. I'm not a big fan of the stranded at sea genre." It's just like with Slum-dog Millionaire, I heard so much about it I was goddamned sick of it and vowed never to watch it simply on the principle that its press campaign had annoyed me so much.

you + the creators, and anybody who googled it know that. everybody else knows her as Doug's sister

vxicepickxv:Yes, but for those of us who haven't seen anything relating to the show in over a decade, I'm not sure I would have gotten it if he had said Judy with her picture.

She was one of my first crushes, that's why I remember her. Still, how would you feel if a supposedly nostalgic geek expert said something like "That leader of the Transformers" when talking about Optimus Prime. And yes, I am saying Judy is just as if not more important than Optimus Prime.

Let's talk about that twistPHA+QXMgYW4gYWdub3N0aWMgd2hvIHVuZGVyc3RhbmRzIHRoZSBtb3JhbCBncmF5bmVzcyBvZiB0aGUgInVwbGlmdGluZyBsaWUgdmVyc3VzIGNydXNoaW5nIHRydXRoLCIgSSdtIG5vdCBvbmUgdG8gYmUgc28gaGFyc2ggb24gdGhlIHR3aXN0LjwvcD4=

The 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

you + the creators, and anybody who googled it know that. everybody else knows her as Doug's sister

vxicepickxv:Yes, but for those of us who haven't seen anything relating to the show in over a decade, I'm not sure I would have gotten it if he had said Judy with her picture.

She was one of my first crushes, that's why I remember her. Still, how would you feel if a supposedly nostalgic geek expert said something like "That leader of the Transformers" when talking about Optimus Prime. And yes, I am saying Judy is just as if not more important than Optimus Prime.

(Woo double post!)

Optimus Prime also has a lot more media penetration than a cartoon that ended over ten years ago and ran for 3 years.

So someone can say "The leader of the autobots" (You could atleast get it right, megatron was the leader of the decepticons :P) and damn near everyone will know exactly who you mean, if he said "Judy" the majority of people would say "Who the fuck is Judy and why does she matter?"

AzraelSteel:I'm impressed a little that EVERYTHING Bob says about this movie is 100% true of the book, as well.

I really had no idea that this was based off a book.

I THORoughly recommend you read the book

Just thought I'd put a God in my post.

I'll be going to see this movie next week, and I'm fucking psyched about it, can't wait. The life of Pi is the one piece of literature that beats Batman, its like paper/ scissors / rock, batman beats all of them... but TIGER ON A BOAT AND YOUR ALL ALONE IN THE FUCKING OCEAN AND ITS GOING TO EAT YOUR FUCKING FACE